Aerialist, Acrobat, Author, and Speaker
Jen Bricker-Bauer is an American acrobat and aerialist. Born without legs, and placed for adoption by her birth parents Jen was adopted by a loving family who encouraged Jen to live by the motto “Never Say Can’t.” Jen lived by those words! She was the first handicapped high school tumbling champion in the state of Illinois and was a featured performer on Britney Spears' Circus Tour. Jen loved gymnastics her whole life and her idol was Olympic gold-medalist Dominique Moceanu, whom Jen later discovered was actually her biological sister.
(Owner/designer of the Rosie G fashion line • Co-Founder of The Grace Rose Foundation • Teen Activist)
Finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis through fashion.
Grace Rose Bauer is the 17-year-old owner and designer of the Rosie G Fashion Line. Born in New Orleans Grace Rose and her mother Leah moved to Los Angeles after Hurricane Katrina. As a baby, Grace Rose was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease that attacks the respiratory and digestive systems. Grace Rose has made it her mission to find a cure by raising money and awareness through her fashion line, Rosie G, and The Grace Rose Foundation. Grace Rose also hosts an Annual Fashion Show Fundraiser to raise money and awareness for both Cystic Fibrosis and mental wellness. She is currently developing a mental wellness app for kids and teens. Grace Rose has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, and the LA Times. She has been on the Disney Channel, the Hallmark Channel, Harry Connick Jr. Talk Show, and E-News.
Co-founders of John’s Crazy Socks/Philanthropists
A father-son business that creates jobs, donates to charities, and spreads happiness, through socks.
John Cronin is a young man with Down syndrome. John and his father started an online business selling “crazy socks”. John is the leader and the face of the business. John loves crazy socks and he loves making people happy! The father and son duo built their multi-million-dollar business on four pillars: Inspiration and Hope, Giving Back, Socks You Can Love, and Making It Personal. They are showing the world what people with differing abilities can do when given a chance. People with differing abilities are ready, willing, and able to work. John’s Crazy Socks company hires people with differing abilities and builds their workforce around them. Through videos, presentations, articles, and special events they are showing the world how successful their business model is. They host school tours, workgroup tours, and social service agency tours. Together, John and Mark advocate for changes in law and policy to support the rights of people with differing abilities to work and to retain their earnings. Giving back is a huge part of what they do. They pledge 5 percent of their earnings to the Special Olympics. John and many of his colleagues are Special Olympic athletes. They also raise money for their charity partners. In 2019, John Cronin became the first person with Down syndrome to win the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Drummer, Percussionist, Composer, and Producer
Joel Alpers who was born in Tanzania and divided his childhood between East Africa and southern California. Joel is currently in the percussion chair for the Los Angeles company of “Hamilton” at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Joel has also played drums for the smash Broadway musical “Wicked” since 2007 and has subbed on drums for the national tours of “School of Rock” and “Frozen” at the Pantages. He has been the featured soloist with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, has performed on “Dancing With The Stars”, and originated the drum book for the international multimedia ensemble Vox Lumiere. He has contributed to numerous film and television soundtracks. He has recorded and performed with an accomplished and eclectic roster of renowned artists. Joel is a mainstay on the Los Angeles and southern California theatrical orchestra scene, anchoring the pit for companies such as the Geffen Playhouse, the La Jolla Playhouse, the Wallis Annenberg Theatre, the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Musical Theatre West, 3-D Theatricals, the Musical Theatre Guild, and the Grammy Museum.
Opera Singer
Mandi is an opera singer who received her Bachelor's degree at Thornton School of Music USC after receiving a full scholarship. She is currently pursuing her Masters at California State University, Fullerton. Mandi has been featured on national advertising campaigns as well as a PBS SoCal LAaRT segment illustrating the importance that music and the arts have played in her life as an individual with an autism spectrum disorder. Mandi has placed first in the following competitions: NATS-LA, Musical Arts Club of Orange County, Professional Opera Singers Association (POSA), and the Rotary International Classical Voice Competition and has performed at: The Dolby Theater, The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Warner Brothers Studio, Union Station, Autism Speaks event, UCLA's Semel Institute, Music Center's Blue Ribbon Members event
Author, Screenwriter, Dad
Gary is the author of Swim In The Void, a collection of poems and monologues created in collaboration with painter Alexis Rockman. He has sold feature films and television scripts to major movie and television studios. Gary’s work was included, alongside David Sedaris, Tom Wolfe, and James Salter in Flight Patterns, on Open City. Gary is a quadriplegic and practicing Buddhist dilettante, having received vows in three different lineages.
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